Alpha Version of Kubuntu with KDE 4 Released

Jonathan Riddell has just announced the first Alpha of the KDE version of Ubuntu 8.04 (codenamed Hardy Heron).

As Riddell made quite clear, this is the fifth Kubuntu Alpha, however, the previous versions all came with KDE 3. The KDE 3 Version is available with commercial support. In contrast to this, KDE 4 relies on community support. Version KDE 4.0.1 is planned; some KDE 3 applications will still be available wherever KDE 4 does not have a counterpart.

As this is the first Alpha with KDE 4, Riddell writes that testers will discover a number of rough edges. For example, use had to launch the network manager manually for the time being. But the current version does give you a good idea of what KDE 4 users can look forward to from Kubuntu in April.

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Based on the release policy of Ubuntu and its KDE derivative Kubuntu, the next version of Kubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron) scheduled for mid January would be a Long Term Support (LTS) version with three years support. Now, Kubuntu's chief developer Jonathan Riddell has announced that there will not be an LTS version; instead Kubuntu is relying on the KDE 4 desktop update.